Emerald Ash Borer Federal Regulatory Overview

Transcription

1 Emerald Ash Borer Federal Regulatory Overview Mark Michaelis State Director VT/NH Stefan Windler Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist Kimberly Merenz Trade Specialist USDA APHIS PPQ

2 Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) is a program within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). PPQ safeguards agriculture and natural resources from the entry, establishment, and spread of animal and plant pests and noxious weeds into the United States

3 FEDERAL REGULATORY AUTHORITIES The Federal Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine (7 CFR ) provides the authority to conduct regulatory activities. The Plant Protection Act of 2000 (Statute 7 USC ) provides authority for implementation of emergency quarantine action. Federal authority authorizes interstate regulatory action only.

4 Damage From EAB In June, 2002, EAB was identified as the causal agent in ash tree decline and mortality in the Detroit metropolitan area. Feeding EAB larvae produce galleries that cut off the flow of nutrients. Eventually girdle and kill branches and entire trees. Millions of trees have died and economic and environmental losses are considerable.

5 COMPONENTS OF A QUARANTINE Survey to determine extent of infestation Federal/State Regulatory to control the movement of articles that can spread the pest Federal/State Eradication/Control Measures to eliminate or control the spread of the pest Federal/State/Local/Private

6 Purple Prism trap survey

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8 traps - NH 482 traps - VT traps VT 872 traps NH

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11 Three Parasitoids Discovered in China Houping Liu Oobius agrili Houping Liu Tetrastichus planipennisi Zhong-qi Yang Spathius agrili

12 The regulatory challenge

13 REGULATORY COMPONENT The purpose of this regulation is to stop the artificial spread of EAB Regulations are put into place both BEFORE EAB is in an area and AFTER EAB has been detected. Compliance agreements, kiln certification, certificates and limited permits are issued Regulates and tracks wood movement, treatment, and disposal. Outreach and Education

14 FEDERAL EAB QUARANTINE

15 REGULATED ARTICLES All life stages of the Emerald Ash Borer. All hardwood firewood (non coniferous). All species of Fraxinus (Ash) Nursery Stock Green lumber Logs Any other material, living, dead, cut, or fallen; including, but not limited to chips, stumps, branches, twigs, roots and debris.

16 MAJOR INDUSTRIES IMPACTED Logging/Lumber Nursery Arborists and Landscapers Firewood Milling and Manufacturing Wood Packing Materials (WPM) Wood by products

17 COMPLIANCE AGREEMENTS Agreement between an approved establishment and federal and state agency. Allows for movement of regulated articles from the quarantined area. Defines acceptable treatments/mitigation of regulated articles.

18 EAB Compliance Agreement

19 RISK RELATED TO EAB LIFE CYCLE Movement of untreated regulated articles is time dependent High Risk (adult flight period) May 1 Sept 30 No movement outside regulated area Low Risk (larval/pupal stage) Oct 1 April 30 Movement allowed under compliance agreement

20 APPROVED REGULATORY TREATMENTS Remove the bark and an additional ½ inch of wood Heat Treatment according to schedule (140⁰F/60⁰C at core for 60 minutes). Facility must be approved by USDA. Chipped to less than 1 in two dimensions. Kiln sterilization treatment schedule. The maximum thickness of allowable wood is three inches (time/temp/moisture content) Fumigate with Methyl Bromide using a USDA approved fumigator ISPM 15 for ash lumber in wood packing material (132.8⁰F/56⁰C for 30 minutes) via accreditation of establishment via ALSC Nursery Stock of Fraxinus spp.: No treatments available. Not being moved at this time.

21 THE MOVEMENT OF REGULATED ARTICLES FROM THE QUARANTINED AREAS TO NON-QUARANTINED AREAS Certificate (PPQ 540). Accompanies all TREATED regulated articles when they leave a quarantined area. Limited Permit (PPQ 530). Accompanies all UNTREATED regulated articles that leave a quarantined area, and are destined to an approved facility during the Low Risk season. Low Risk season is Oct 1 May 1

22 THE MOVEMENT OF REGULATED ARTICLES IN THE QUARANTINE AREA Regulated articles can move freely within the quarantine area. No compliance agreement, certificate, limited permit, or treatment is required

23 THE MOVEMENT OF REGULATED ARTICLES You must contact USDA APHIS in the states of origin and destination to ensure you meet quarantine requirements before you move regulated articles.

24 WHAT CAN I DO? Become familiar with the signs of EAB presence on ash trees. Report any suspected finds to the USDA EAB Hotline toll free Contact local USDA or State to apply for a compliance agreement to move regulated articles legally. Contact local USDA or State for conditions for exporting Ash to a foreign country Be especially careful when moving any firewood, logs or trees.

25 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON EAB USDA, APHIS, PPQ CT/MA/RI: (203) VT/NH: (802) ME: (207) NY: (518) PA: (717)

26 Verifying Treatment Methods for Export of Forest Products Kimberly Merenz Trade Specialist Field Operations USDA APHIS PPQ

27 Phytosanitary Certification Internationally recognized plant health certification Not required by the USDA Indicates import requirements of foreign countries have been met Plants and un-processed plant products Commodity MUST be inspected before the shipment leaves the U.S.

28 Exporter Responsibilities Apply in writing for inspection, sampling, and/or testing Contact an Authorized Certifying Official (ACO) Provide all necessary documentation Ensure commodity is available, provide labor and facilities

29 Exporter Responsibilities, cont. Provide for required treatments or other actions Safeguard the certified shipment from infestation Comply with U.S. export control regulations Export only those plants or plant products that have been certified

30 Import Permits Special permission granted by a foreign government s department of agriculture to the importer Permits specify the requirements that will need to be met Permission may not be granted for prohibited plants or plant products e.g. Elm plants from the U.S. to China

31 Eligible Forest Products Trees Logs Lumber Wood Chips Some Processed Wood Products

32 Regulations Are Specific To Each Country China s regulations for maple logs are different than Taiwan s Some countries allow green lumber to be imported, most require at least kiln drying to below 20% moisture, or heat treatment.

33 Kiln Drying (KD) - Definition - A process in which wood is dried in a closed chamber using heat and/or humidity control to achieve a required moisture content [ISPM No 15, 2002]. Goal to reduce the amount of moisture to a percentage that is not likely to support pests, regardless of temperature.

34 KD Verification for Hardwood and Conifers Evidence of kiln drying by KD marks on lumber Checking moisture content Inspecting kiln charge chart The ACO signing the phytosanitary certificate verifies the treatment.

35 Heat Treatment (HT) - Definition - The process in which a commodity is heated until it reaches a minimum temperature for a minimum period of time according to an official technical specification [ISPM N 15, 2002; revised ICPM, 2005]. Goal Reach a core temperature sufficient to ensure no pest can survive, regardless of moisture content.

36 HT Verification For Coniferous Sawn Wood Mills must be certified by Lumber Grading Agencies Participating in Mill Certification Programs for Coniferous Sawn Wood. The Agency provides a heat treatment certificate to the ACO. The Agency must have an MOU with the USDA for either EU countries, non-eu countries, or both.

37 HT Verification, cont. There is no USDA Certification Program for HT of Hardwood - forest products logs bark, chips, chunks, shavings, dust, flour. except for solid wood packing material

38 HT Verification, cont. If a country requires HT of a hardwood Exporter submits request to the USDA for initial evaluation. Kilns must be certified by either USDA, or a grading agency, to the USDA standards. Exporter must sign a compliance agreement with the USDA. The ACO must verify the treatment.

39 Wood Packing Material (WPM) Heat Treatment Program for WPM developed for use by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC). implement as a quality control program for the official labeling of heat treated wood packaging material. with ISPM 15 official mark to signify compliance with the ISPM 15 standard.

40 WPM, cont. The stamp on the WPM must be compliant with ISPM 15. Verification of HT is conducted by an ALSC approved grading agency. No phytosanitary certificate is issued.

41 MORE INFO: Patrick Marino Export Certification Specialist Kimberly Merenz Trade Specialist Field Operations USDA, APHIS, PPQ 500 New Karner Road Albany NY Phone: Fax:

42 QUESTIONS??